The scoop
With Tax-Free Childcare, you pay into an online childcare account and the government tops it up by £2 for every £8 you put in. That's up to £500 every 3 months (£2,000 a year) for each child, or double for a disabled child.
You use the account to pay registered childcare providers. You usually need to be working, and you reconfirm your details every 3 months.
How to claim it
- 1
Check you're eligible on GOV.UK.
- 2
Open a childcare account online.
- 3
Pay in, let the government add 20%, and pay your provider from the account.
Who qualifies
- Usually working, with a child aged 11 or under
- Childcare provider must be signed up